The Carthage Fire Department will be hosting the 2004 Firefighters Ball/ Karoke Contest and Dance at Memorial Hall on August 21. The event will be held to raise money for Muscular Dystrophy. Raffle tickets will be sold before and during the event for the drawing for items such as a new queen Leggett & Platt mattress set, half of a hog from Cloud’s Meat Processing, $100 of pest control from Hoffman Pest Control, O’Sullivan Furnishings, and other items donated by local merchants.

Tickets may be purchased at the Carthage Fire Department. The cost will be $15 per person with two drinks included. Those attending must be 21 years of age or over. The Karaoke Contest cant be entered by calling 237-7100. Individual, group and duet categories will be featured. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and close at midnight. Dress is casual.

Maple Leaf Quilt Show Entries.

News Release from the Carthage Chamber

(Carthage)- Members of the Four Corners Quilters Guild, sponsor of this year’s MapleLeaf Quilt Show, are encouraging all area quilters to get busy with those last minute touches on the entries.

The annual Maple Leaf Quilt Show will run from Wednesday, October 13-Saturday October 16 at the Powers Museum, 1617 Oak Street, Carthage.

The show will have three categories of exhibition, competition:

(1) Antique

(2) Contemporary (not antique)

(3) Wall/Baby Quilt

First and second place will be awarded in each category and a special prize for "Best of Show" will be presented. All voting will be done by Viewer’s Choice.

For further information about the Maple Leaf Quilt Show contact Judy McCoy at 358- 7140 or the Carthage Chamber at 358-2373.

In the small community I grew up in we had two fire trucks and a volunteer fire department. The whistle would blow and dad would hurry the half block from our small store to jump on the fire wagon and off they’d go.

Most usually it was a grass fire or a trash can that spilled over, but it was excitin’ to see for us kids.

The brick fire station, which also housed City Hall and the one room police station, was also used for an occasional community dance before the community buildin’ was put up. The two trucks would be pulled out and parked and for a few hours the "dance hall" was open for business.

I wasn’t old enough to attend, but we lived close enough to sneak down and peak in the windows. Looked like a good time.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Heritage Publishing

HERE’S A TIP

By JoAnn Derson

• If your kids like to color in the car on trips, bring along colored pencils or non-staining markers. Crayons can melt in a hot car, and it can still get hot in the car on a sunny day even if the temperature outside is mild.

• Packing "peanuts" can be used in the bottom of flowerpots to aid in drainage without adding excess weight.

• "I went to a summer garden party and the hostess had made special ice cubes for the drinks. I usually just drink water, so it was a nice touch. I used ice cubes that had mandarin orange segments frozen in them." — B.R. in Texarkana, Texas

• "Since we live a long distance from our relatives, we keep photos of them in our children’s rooms. We try to take the time to name them each day and update them as often as possible. It makes visits much more special, since the kids don’t feel like they are seeing strangers." — Emile Ann in Delaware

• "Here’s my cure for a minor burn in the kitchen. Cut a raw potato in half and rub the cut end over the burn. Somehow, it soothes it. I don’t know how." — A reader via e-mail